Poulter leads Hong Kong Open

Ian Poulter produced a scintillating second-round display to take advantage of Rory McIlroy's final-hole nightmare and claim the halfway lead at the UBS Hong Kong Open.

The 34-year-old Poulter had made an indifferent start to the tournament on Thursday, carding just three birdies in a bogey-free round to sit five strokes behind overnight leader Mark Brown.

However, the Ryder Cup star turned on the style in the second round, reeling off 10 birdies - including five in succession from the seventh - to charge up the leaderboard and finish with a career-best 10-under-par 60 and move on to 13 under for the tournament.

Poulter's lead could have been even greater had he sank a birdie putt from 15 feet on the 17th, but the ball stopped just short of the hole.

"It is one of those courses where if you can get off to a good start you really feel you can shoot a good number," he said.

"I had five birdies from the seventh and as soon as that happened I felt there were plenty of chances coming in. I am happy but slightly disappointed."

Poulter's cause was also helped by McIlroy's disappointing finish as the Northern Irishman double-bogeyed the last. He carded a 66 to slip into a share of third alongside Simon Dyson, who followed up Thursday's 64 - which included a hole-in-one - with a 65.

Anthony Kang is one stroke behind Poulter in second after the American - chasing only a second-ever win on the European Tour - carded a blemish-free 61.

Graeme McDowell kept himself firmly in contention after the US Open champion carded a second successive 65 to sit in a group of five players three strokes behind Poulter in a tie for fifth.

Gregory Bourdy, meanwhile, will need to improve over the weekend if he is to stage a successful title defence. The Frenchman is five strokes off the top of the leaderboard following a 66.